|
Subjects
|
EFFECTIVE BIBLE STUDY
 Versions
of the Bible
The great number of versions available in the
English language is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing
because the diverse range of English translations of God's Word provides
us with a wealth of alternative renderings that can help us in our
reading and study of the Bible. It is somewhat of a curse because the
veritable babel of translations can be confusing and make it harder for
us to memorize Scripture. In this section we will consider briefly the
history of the English Bible and outline the characteristics of the four
main types of Bible translation.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE
From the early Middle Ages until the Reformation
of the sixteenth century, the Latin Vulgate was the official Bible of
the Church. This was unfortunate, since only a few educated people could
read Latin. Thus the Bible was a closed book to the majority of people.
The later Medieval period, however, saw the
production of several partial translations into Old English
(Anglo-Saxon). The first full translation of the Bible in our language
was the Middle English translation of John Wycliffe in 1382.
Still, it was not until the time of William
Tyndale in the Reformation that the Bible was translated into English
from the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. From Tyndale's
translation work at the beginning of the sixteenth century to the
translation of the King James Version early in the seventeenth century,
several English versions were produced:
- 1525 Tyndale's New
Testament
- 1535 The Coverdale Bible
- 1539 The Great Bible
- 1560 The Geneva Bible
- 1568 The Bishop's Bible
- 1611 The King James
Version
The King James Version reigned dominant until well
into the twentieth century, and still remains popular. Whereas almost
all English translations from Tyndale to the American Standard Version
tended to be literal, the twentieth century saw the rise of other less
literal forms of translation.
The Four Main Types of Bible Translation
1. WORD-FOR-WORD
(LITERAL)
- 1611 The King James or Authorised Version (KJV
or AV)
- 1881-5 The Revised Version (RV)
- 1901 The American Standard Version (ASV)
- 1946-52 The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
- 1971 The New American Standard Bible (NASB)
- 1982 The New King James Version (NKJV)
- 1989 The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
2. MEANING-FOR-MEANING
- The Good News Bible / Today's English Version (GNB
or TEV)
- The New English Bible (NEB)
3. WORD-FOR-WORD AND MEANING-FOR-MEANING
BLENDS
- The New International Version (NIV)
- The Jerusalem Bible (JB)
- The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
- The Revised English Bible (REB)
4. PARAPHRASE
- J.B. Phillips
- The Living Bible
GENERAL GUIDELINES AND SUGGESTIONS
- The literal (word-for-word) versions are the
most accurate renditions of God's Word and include the least amount
of translational bias.
- Since the literal versions are the most
accurate, they are usually the best for Bible study.
- The King James Version is linked to more study
aids (such as Strong's and Young's Concordances) than any other
English Version.
- Because of their literary style, many of the
less literal versions (such as the NIV) make good versions for
personal reading.
- It is helpful to include both literal and less
literal translations on your bookshelf.
- It is best to stay with a single version for
most of your reading and study (this aids in memorization).
- When choosing your main Bible, look for durable
binding, cross-references and perhaps wide margins (for your
personal notes).
- Study Bibles, since they do not encourage
personal study, are best used as bookshelf references.
www.biblelight.org |
